College football odds, picks, lines for 2018 Bowl Games: Proven computer model loving Ohio State and Penn State

SportsLine's advanced computer model simulated every college football bowl game 10,000 times

by
CBS Sports Staff

Dec 31, 2018
• 3 min read

The 2018 portion of the college football bowl schedule wraps up Monday night, but 2019 starts out with a bang as several big-time programs square off in the five games on New Year's Day. Four of those matchups feature SEC squads with Kentucky, 6.5-point underdogs in the latest college football odds, battling Penn State in the 2019 Citrus Bowl, Mississippi State (-7) facing Iowa in the 2019 Outback Bowl, LSU (-7) taking on Central Florida in the 2019 Fiesta Bowl and then the day wrapping up with Georgia (-12.5) against Texas in the 2019 Sugar Bowl. Whether you're hoping to lock in a bet for one of those games, or eyeing the College Football Playoff Championship between Alabama (-6) and Clemson, first be sure to check out the college football picks and predictions from SportsLine's proven computer model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times, and those who have followed it have seen massive returns. Over the past three years, this proprietary computer model has generated a jaw-dropping $4,210 profit for $100 bettors on its top-rated point-spread picks.

The model made some huge calls during Championship Week, including nailing Ohio State (-16.5) against Northwestern and Oklahoma (-9.5) against Texas. And when it comes to all top-rated picks, the model has been red-hot, entering the 2018 college football bowl season on a blistering 45-25 run. Anybody who has followed it is way, way up.

Now it has simulated every single play 10,000 times and its 2018 college football bowl picks and predictions are in.

One of the top college football bowl picks the model is extremely high on: No. 12 Penn State (-6.5) covers against No. 14 Kentucky in the 2019 Citrus Bowl on New Year's Day.

The Wildcats clearly exceeded expectations this season, but their second half of the season wasn't nearly as impressive as the first. They dropped three of their last five conference games, including a 24-7 defeat at the hands of 5-7 Tennessee. Penn State, meanwhile, won five of its last six games to enter the postseason with plenty of momentum. James Franklin's squad held Wisconsin, Rutgers, and Maryland to a combined 20 points to close out the season.

The model projects Penn State quarterback Trace McSorley to account for over 250 yards of total offense against a tough Kentucky defense. That helps the Nittany Lions cover in 60 percent of simulations, while the Under (47.5) has plenty of value as well because that hits over 60 percent of the time. Penn State continues its dominating point differential this season of +14.6, compared to Kentucky's +7.8.

Another one of the top college football predictions from the model: No. 6 Ohio State gets the cover against No. 9 Washington in the 2019 Rose Bowl at 5 p.m. ET on New Year's Day.

The Buckeyes (12-1) were left out of the College Football Playoff field, and after poor showings by Oklahoma and Notre Dame in the semifinals, they'll be hungry to prove that they should've been among the picks. Add in the motivation to send coach Urban Meyer out on a high note, and Dwayne Haskins and Co. are in prime position to produce a big win against a Washington squad that lost three games this season.

The model projects that Haskins throws for almost 300 yards and two touchdowns, while Washington quarterback Jake Browning is held to around 200 yards through the air in his final start for the Huskies. The Buckeyes cover in well over half of simulations, while there's also plenty of value on the Under (67.5) because that hits over 70 percent of the time.

The model is also calling for a huge upset on New Year's Day, and has an extremely strong spread pick for the national title game featuring Alabama and Clemson, saying one side covers in well over 50 percent of simulations.